Have You Been Charged With a Sex Crime?
Few criminal charges carry a more serious and detrimental social stigma than sex offenses.
The mere fact that one is charged, can, and many times does, lead to loss of employment and being isolated from their friends and community.
On the other hand, few criminal charges are prosecuted with such little evidence. In most cases, it is one person’s word against the other. Therefore, it is extremely important to seek legal representation as early as possible, because any word uttered to friends, family, or the police will be used against you.
Collateral Punishment
In addition to lengthy prison sentences, sex offenses can also add collateral punishment such as:
- Sex offender registration
- Loss of employment
- Restricted use of electronics
- Restriction from being around minors (including one’s own children)
- Difficulty finding a place to live
- Sex offender counseling, which includes repeated polygraph examinations
Sex Crime Registry Laws in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has two pertinent sex crime laws that registered sex offenders must comply with: Megan’s Law and the Walsh Act.
Megan’s Law
Megan’s Law is a mandatory sex offender registry where the names of convicted sex offenders are listed. Created in 1995, Megan’s Law contains the names, identities, and addresses of sex offenders in Pennsylvania, which is available to the public.
Crimes are broken up into different tiers, where those convicted must report to the police for the number of years their crime falls under. Reporting tiers are 15 years, 25 years, and a lifetime.
Walsh Act
The Walsh Act states that a sex offender needs to register and keep the registration current in each jurisdiction where the offender resides, is an employee, and is a student. Similar to Megan’s Law, crimes are placed into three tiers, where the offender must report to authorities for 15 years, 25 years, or a lifetime.
What are considered sex crimes in Pennsylvania?
Rape, sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, indecent exposure, child pornography, and prostitution are amongst the sex crimes that you can be charged with in Pennsylvania.
What are common defenses to sex crime allegations?
Common defenses to sex crime charges include consent agreement, providing DNA evidence, false allegations, and mistaken identity.
Experienced Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys
Christopher Sarno has specialized in Sex Crimes working in the Special Victims Unit in the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office prosecuting many sex offenses cases, and conducting many trials.
As a defense attorney, this specialization has only continued with effective defense and successful trial results of many charged with sex offenses, as well as child pornography charges.
If you have been charged with a sex crime, do not hesitate to take the steps to ensure that your rights are protected. Turn to the experienced Lancaster criminal defense attorneys of Clymer, Musser & Sarno, P.C.
A Successful Track Record
Sex Crime Case Examples
Attorney Sarno’s success in the courtroom as a prosecutor, on behalf of the government, continued in his career as a defense attorney, which shows his unwavering loyalty to his clients.
Attorney Sarno has a strong history of representing defendants with the most serious charges. He’s been successful in securing Not Guilty verdicts for his clients and obtaining sentences of house arrest and probation for those guilty of sexual crimes with maximum sentences of 10+ years.
1. Case type: Child porn defense
2 Lancaster County Men Sentenced to House Arrest on Child Porn Charges
2. Case type: Adult victim defense
Sex Offender Evaluation Ordered for Drug Counselor Who Watched Woman During ‘Breathing Exercises’
3. Case type: Sex crime prosecution
Serial Sex Abuser Sentenced to 20-40 Years in Prison
4. Case type: Rape prosecution
Lancaster Man Faces 47 Years in Prison for Teenager Rape Conviction